“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.”
Anthony Bourdain
Everyday food in India, as in most parts of the world, is simple, quick and does not call for expensive spices and 30 ingredients. Having said that, a diverse and expansive pantry helps when your family, like mine, does not like eating the same kind of stuff 3 days in a row.
This page is intended to provide a glimpse into my Pantry – which is one place in my house where I have a hard time following minimalism. However, if you are just dipping your fingers into Indian cooking for the first time, my suggested Frugal Pantry shopping list might be the answer for you. Once you have mastered the basics, come back and download the experimental pantry and introduce new flavors to your friends and family. The Home Chef Shopping List could be next step (once you have created enough space in your Pantry!)
The Home Chef’s Pantry
Legumes (Dal) and Beans
My pantry has atleast 8 different types of legumes at any given time. If you are looking for Vegetarian/Vegan options, lentils could be life changer for you. They are high in protein and fiber and one of the most versatile ingredients that can be prepared with little effort and few ingredients. While you can buy canned kidney beans and chickpeas and pre-boiled lentils, i recommend organic, dry versions which turn out to be cheaper and more flavorful. Most of the legumes are easily available in Indian/ Asian stores.
Here’s a quick peak into what’s in my pantry.
- Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)
- Whole, green lentils or Hari Mung Dal, , mostly used for recipes that call for sprouted mung
- Yellow Split Mung or Dhuli Mung Dal, a staple in my house, cooked to a soupish consistency, generally mixed with masoor dal.
- Whole Black Urad or Ma ki Dal, used in my “no butter Dal Makhani.”
- White Whole Urad Dal, used in Bengali Kolai Dal and, with Chana Dal, to make my mom’s Ma Cholèan Di Dal
- Pigeon Pies or Toor Dal, cooked with simple tempering to make the everyday dal, or with vegetables, to make my Mom’s Sambhar.
- Split bengal gram or Chana Dal.
- Brown chickpeas, or Kaalè Chanè, a power-packed source of protein and fiber, cooked in a spicy gravy.
- Red Kidney Beans or Rajma, while i prefer the dry version, the canned version can work for most recipes.
- Chickpeas, Kabuli Chana/ Cholé. Again, i prefer the dry version but canned version works fine as well.
Flours and Rice
Yes, Roti, Parantha and Naan are quite ubiquitous in North India. But so is rice, many varieties of it. In addition to these staples. Indian homecooks whip up healthy, delicious and quick meals using many varieties of grains, many of which are super high in protein and fiber.
- Basmati Rice (Ofcourse)
- Wheat Flour
- Chickpea Flour (Besan)
- Water Chestnut Flour (Singhada Aata)
- Black Chickpea flour (Sattu)
- Ragi Flour
- Sela Rice for Biryani’s
- Buckwheat Flour (Kuttu ka Aata)
Whole spices
Whole spices add an additional layer of flavor to many Indian recipes. However, the most used varieties may be different for every household and every region. My parents sparingly use whole spices in their everyday cooking. However, my mom-law uses them extensively in her Bengali recipes. I personally like to keep things simple, using just a few whole spices when I must, although my pantry has gotten bigger to accommodate Kashmiri, Bengali and Punjabi cuisine.
Here’s a list of spices in my Pantry.
- Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- Clove (Laung)
- Star Anise (Chakri Phool)
- Green Cardamom (Choti Illachi)
- Black Cardamon (Badi Illachi)
- Coriander Seeds (Sukha Dhania)
- Whole Black Pepper (Kaali Mirch, Sabut)
- Bay leaves (Tej Patta)
- Cumin (Zeera)
- Panch Phoren (A spice mix of 5 whole spices including Cumin, Brown Mustard, Fenugreek, Nigella and Fennel.)
- Pomegranate Seeds powdered (Anardana)
- Asafetida (Hing) (Pure – if available)
- Whole Kashmiri Chili (Sabut Kashmiri Mirch)
Spice powders/ blends
The aisles in Indian stores are full of spice blends with names that may make you think that every Indian dish has a spice blend of its own. I personally have no use for these spice blends and instead find that freshly grinding individual spices gives me more flexibility and flavor. So, I make small batches of toasted, ground spice powders in my spice grinder. My go-to spice powders include
- Coriander Powder (Dhania),
- Cumin Powder (Zeera),
- Dried ginger (Sunth),
- Fennel seeds Powder (Saunf),
- Dried raw mango (Amchur).
- Chaat Masala
- Garam Masala
- Ver (A Kashmiri Garam Masala)
- Turmeric, fresh or ground (Haldi)
- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder (Kashmiri Mirch)
- Asafetida (Hing) powder – a milder version of hing more easily available in Indian stores.
Herbs/ Garnishes
Garnishes are underrated but often add a new dimension to many dishes. A butter chicken dish is incomplete without Kasuri Methi (Dry Fenugree), Yakhni is incomplete without a sprinkle of dried mint, a dal tadka can be unidimensional without a garnish of freshly chopped cilantro. Needless to say, my pantry and herb garden is never without these-
- Kadi patta or Curry Leaf
- Dry Fenugreek (Kasuri Methi)
- Fresh Mint
- Dried Mint
- Coriander/ Cilantro (Dhania)
Cooking oils
Yes, Indians love ghee! No, not everything needs to be fried in ghee. Qualified no, Ghee is not going to kill you (As long as you use it in a smart way). I personally use ghee for the final tempering in Dals, Yakhni or add a dollop in the end. Like my parents, I do vary the oil depending on the recipe. For example, I use Mustard oil (Sarson Tel) for most meat/ fish dishes, coconut oil if i am making a south Indian recipes or want to infuse the flavor of coconut in the dish and Avocado or olive oil in vegetable stir frys. Here’s a list of al
- Ghee for tempering Dal and as a topping in Rajma
- Mustard Oil (Saron Tel) for most meat/ fish dishes
- Coconut Oil (Nariyal Tel) goes very well with Curry leaf based recipes or any coconut based recipes
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Avocado oil/ Olive oil for quick stir fry vegetables like okra and green beans
Yes, that was a long list! But.. you don’t need everything right now! Here’s a version to get you started.
- Lentils and Beans
- Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)
- Red Kidney Beans (Rajma), dry or canned
- Chickpeas (Chané), dry or canned
- Spices
- Turmeric, fresh or ground (Haldi)
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder (Kashmiri Mirch)
- Asafetida (Hing)
- Coriander Powder
- Garam Masala
- Fennel Powder
- Ginger Powder
- Flour and Rice
- Basmati Rice
- Other fresh ingredients
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Red Onions or Shallots
- Crushed or fresh tomatoes
- Plain Yogurt (Homemade preferred)
Ready to move to the next level but not ready to commit to the Chef’s pantry? Try these interesting ingredients to give a new dimension to your creations.
- Spices
- Chaat Masala: sprinkle over pakoda, or salads
- Pomegranate Seeds, Dried (Anardana) powder – add as a garnish to Chana Masala , rajma or use in a Chutney to add a unique tangy flavor.
- Herbs
- Fresh Mint: use in Chutney’s or chop up and add to salads
- Dried Mint: Use a garnish in raita and take it up a notch
- Coriander/ Cilantro: the king of garnishes! Chop and to dal.
- Flour and Rice
- Chickpea Flour (Besan): This will revolutionize your life especially if you are looking for gluten replacement for flour. Make pakoda, Chilla, curry, dumplings..endless choices
- Water Chestnut Flour (Singhada Aata): Another unique type of flour that is fruit based, gluten free and can be used to make roti and pakoda’s .